Charles kayser



L t e e h S s t e e h S 3 R E S Y A K C (No Model.)

WORKMANS TIME RECORDER.

No. 558,281. Patented Apr. 14,1896.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. KAYSER.

'WORKMANS TIME RECORDER.

No. 558,281. Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

AN DREW B GRAHAM. Pumoumo. WASHIMGT NR m3.

(N8 Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

O. KAYSER.

WORKMANS TIME RECORDER.

Patented Apr. 14,; 1896.

- INVEN T OR ATTORNEY 5 BY W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES KAYSER, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO FERDINAND R. MINRATH, OF SAME PLACE.

WORKMANS TIME-RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 558,281, dated April 14:, 1896.

Application filed F b ary 5,1896. $eria1 No. 578,085. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES KAYSER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Recorders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic record ers operated by a check, and particularly to workmens time-recorders. It has for its object to simplify the construction of such machines to insure greater ease and certainty of operation, to increase the durability of the parts thereof, and to provide a recorder which is truly automatic, and whose operation requires no other motive power than the weight or momentum of the check itself.

It consists of the combinations of devices hereinafter set forth in the claims at the end of this specification.

I am aware that workmens time-recorders operated by a check are not new; but in all such machines of which I have any knowledge the motive power which operates the printing mechanism is either furnished by the workman, as by forcing his check into the chute against and past a lever and thereby storin up the power which is released by the check at a later moment, or is supplied by a spring or similar device wound up previously, a catch, tripped by the check, releasing the springpower to do the work. In none of these is the action of the time-recorder truly automatic. In none of them is the entire work done by the check alone. In my improved device but little power is required, and the weight and momentum of the check furnish all that is needed, and they alone do all the work. The operation of my machine is truly automatic.

In my improved machine there is no limit to the number of checks that may be continuously passed through it, other than the actual wearing out of its parts. There is no liability to stoppage of its action at critical moments, and in view of the fact that nothing is required -of the workman but to deposit his check in the chute the machine is certain in its operation and is not liable to derangement of its parts. Its simplicity enables its component parts to be made strong and durable.

My invention is primarily of use in workmens time-recorders, and it is in that form that it is shown and described in the draw ings and specification herein; but it is evident that it may also be used in other recorders, as in recorders where a time-record is.

Fig. 2 is a front. elevation of the upper part of the toggle-arm II and the connecting parts between it and the rod 6. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the toggle-joint and its connecting parts, showing the toggle-joint partially raised and about in the position assumed by it when the lever C is at its lowest position in the check-chute. Fig. 4 is a front elevation ofthe toggle-joint and connections in the position assumed by them at the moment of printing. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the toggle-arm II and its connections with rod 6 when these parts are in the position shown in Fig. Fig. 6 is a plan of the standard K and connections. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the hour-wheel and its operating cam and lever. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 9 is avertical section through the ribbonreel 1). Fig. 10 is a vertical section through the mouth of the check-chute. Fig. 11 is a View of the check.

A is the case of the workmans timerecorder B, the check-chute; b, the mouth of the checkchute; Z1, an opening through the floor 'of the casing to permit the dropping of the check into a receptacle 1). U is the check, having a raised number thereon.

O is a lever, one end of which projects into the check-chute B. It is pivoted upon a fixed bar a, supported by the standard 0, which 9 projects from and forms part of the supportin g-framework a. This supporting-framework a is secured to one side of the casing A and by means of fixed standards and bars supports the moving mechanism of the time-recorder. Upon the opposite end of the lever C is secured a weight D.

The lever C and arms E and L are fixedly mounted on a sleeve which turns upon the fixed bar 0, so that when one is moved motion is imparted to the other two, the parts together forming practically a bell-crank arrangement.

To one end of the arm E is pivoted the rod 6, and to one end of the arm L is pivoted the rod L. When the lever O is depressed by the check, the weight D is raised, the arms E and L are moved to the left, and the rods e and L are moved in the direction of the arrows shown near those parts in Fig. 1. The other end of the rod 6 is pivot-ally secured to the lever F. This lever F has an upright part F, from the upper end of which projects the horizontal pin f, and has a horizontal portion F forming a sleeve supported by and rotating upon the stationary barf, which latter forms a part of the casing a. At the opposite end of the sleeve F, and fixedly secured to it, is a. finger f.

f are either made in onepiece or are rigidly \Vhen the rod 2 is forced to the left, it pushes the lever F in the same direction, forcing the pin f against the inclined surface of arm G, thuscausing the latter with its toe g to move to the left into the position shown in Fig. 3.

H H form a toggle-joint, to the middle of which is pivotally secured toggle-arm H. The latter has a slot h at its upper end adapted to work up and down around the end of the bar g. The irregulanshaped piece h is securedto the toggle-arm H at one of its corners by the pin h. The connection is a loose one, so that it is free to swing to the right or left; but a stop h, projecting from the lower portion of the piece h, is adapted to strike against the toggle-arm H and prevent the piece from swinging farther to the right. The weight of. the piece h tends to keep this stop normally against arm H. The pin h projects back through the piece h and arm H, and is adapted to strike the upper surface g of the toe g and be raised by the toe when the latter is forced to the left..

As the pinh is fixedly sec ured to the toggle-.

arm H, it carries the latter up with it, when arm G and toe g are forced to the left.

The parts F, f, F, and

- Fig. 3, gives a direct upward push to the tog- At its lower end G has a toe g, the a The normal po- Asv left by the rod 0 the finger f moves downward, pressing the piece h slightly to the left until the finger passes below the bottom corner of the piece 71 when the latter at once swings back to the right and over the finger f, as shown in Fig. 3. hen rod e moves back to the right, finger f is raised. As it rises it carries up with it the piece h and also toggle-arm H. When the finger f has risen a certain distance, its circular motion causes it to escape from beneath the lower corner of the piece h, when that piece, together with the toggle-arm H and the toggle-j oint, at once drop to their normal position, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents finger f and piece h in their relative positions just before the point of escape is reached. The movement of the pin f against the inclined surface of 1 the arm G and the action of the curved surface of the toe g upon the pin h cause a comparatively slow upward movement of the toggle-joint. This is due to the inclined sur faces G and g. The upward movement of the finger f, from the position indicated in gle-arm H, which causes a more rapid raising of the toggle-joint.

Arm H is pivotally secured at its farther end to the enlarged head J of the rod J. The latter is loosely fitted in openings through the two walls of the fixed standard K, secured to and forming a part of the framework a.

j is a nut for the purpose of adjusting the toggle-joint.

Z0 is a spring, coiled around the rod J, bearing against one wall of the standard K, and at its other end secured to a stop 7c, forming a part of the rod J. This spring tends to hold the rod J and its enlarged head J against the toggle-joint, but at the same time permits the toggle-joint some freedom of lateral movement in order to prevent injurious ars.

Arm H is pivotally secured at its other end to the swinging platen-head I. The latter is looselymounted upon the fixed bar *Z,which is secured to and forms part of the framework a.

Z is a spool loosely mounted u ponthe same bar i. The platen-head has attached to it platen i. This platen is forced to the right by the toggle-joint when the latter is in its raised position, (shown in Fig. 4,) and is thereby caused to press the paper and the printing-ribbon through an opening in the side of the-check-chute against the check when the latter is in the proper position for printing. Great pressure is exerted by the toggle-joint upon the platen-head. Pivotally secured to the other end of the rod L is the three-way lever Z, fulcrumed upon the fixed bar Z, the latter connected to and forming a part of the framework a. Upon one of the three arms of this lever is a weight R. Pivotally secured to the end of another arm of the lever Z is the rod Z, the latter of which is pivotally secured at its other end to the rod Z. The latter is IIO loosely fitted in bearings in fixed standards K and K, forming part of the framework a of the machine. A projection M, having a pivoted pawl m, is rigidly secured to the bar 1.

The pawl takes into the teeth of a ratchetwheel m, mounted upon a sleeve loosely fitted upon a fixed bar 0,forming a part of the framework a. Upon the same sleeve is mounted paper-wheel m, upon which is wound the paper ribbon N. The paper ribbon N is first wound upon a paper-reel N, and from there it passes over the loosely-rotating spool t', then in front of the platen 1', round the looselyfitting spool v to m. IVhen the rod 2 is moved to the left, the rod 1 also moves to the left, thereby causing the pawl m to rotate the ratchet-wheel m to the left and causing the paper-wheel m to wind up a small portion of the paper N.

0 is the inking-ribbon reel, P the inkingribbon, and 1) the reel upon which the inkingribbon is first wound. The inking-ribbon P passes from the reel 1') down in front of the platen around the loosely-fittin g spool 19 to the ribbon-reel o. The latter is mounted upon the same shaft as the gear-wheel O, which gears with the small gear-wheel mounted upon the sleeve to which the ratchet-wheel m is secured. wheel in thus imparts a rotary movement to the gear-wheel O, and thereby slowly winds up the inking-ribbon P.

Pivotally secured at s to one of the arms of the three-way lever Z is the rod S. This rod S has an enlarged head S, adapted to slide forward and backward in bearings in the standard 5. IVhen the rod 6 moves to the left, the parts L, L, and Z cause the rod S and its head S to move to the left until the end of head S projects beneath the bottom of the check-chute 1;, in which position it forms a stop for the check. The check is thus held at this position in the chute until the printing blowhas been delivered, when it is released by the backward movement of rods S and S, caused by the upward movement of the lever O.

The cut-off T near the top of the checkchute is a pendent arm loosely pivoted att in the framework, and having a tooth t, which is adapted to enter the check-chute when the cutoff T hangs in its downward position. This position is shown in full lines in Fig. 10. In this position the tooth it will catch and hold any check that maybe inserted into the mouth of the check-chute. The cut-off T is, however, normally held up by the lever C in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 10. In this position the tooth i is withdrawn from the check-chute and checks have free access to the check-chute. IVhenever the lever O This prevents a too rapid insertion The rotation of the ratchet of checks and prevents any interference by one check with another.

Z is a cam pivoted upon the shaft Z and forming a part of the clockwork mechanism. Its end 2 is adapted to engage with the arm '0 of the lever V. This lever consists of the arms V and o and connecting-sleeve 21, all secured together or integral with one another and mountedupon the fixed bar 1), secured to the framework a. The lever V has pivoted to it an arm IV. The tooth w of this arm is adapted to engage with the teeth at of the ratchet-wheel X, which is fixedly secured to the hour-wheel x. Both the ratchetwheel and the hour-wheel rotate upon the fixed bar m. The hour-wheel is fitted in the ordinary way with numerals and letters denoting the hours of the day. These are of the usual form and are not shown. A lever Y has a pin n adapted to take into a series of holes or depressions in the side of the ratchetwheel X in order to hold the wheel ina fixed position while the printing is being done. The lever Y has a shoulder y, and against this a curved portion 10 of the arm IV is adapted to take. The lever V is weighted at the end opposite to the arm 4), so that when the latter arm escapes from the point z of the cam Z the lever V, with its arm IV, falls downward with considerable force. The curved portion w strikes against the shoulder y and throws the pin y out of engagement with the hole or depression in which it had been resting, thereby permitting the ratchetwheel X to rotate. At the same time the tooth 10 takes against a tooth of the ratchetwheel X and forces the ratchet-wheel to rotate one tooth. During the course of the next hour the cam Z slowly revolves, forces down the arm n, and raises leverV and arm IV, thereby restoring the parts to the proper condition for the next feed.

The reels 1) and N are mounted upon fixed bars, as shown at Fig. 9. The bar 1 is smaller at its end, so as to fit into the cylindrical central cavity of reel 1). Fixedly secured to the bar 1 is a curved or bent spring 2. A portion of the bar 1 is cut away at its end to furnish a space within which the curved end of the spring 2 may have some play. At this point the spring bears against the surrounding inner surface of the reel 12. At the outer end of the spring 2 is a button This button is circular and is small enough to permit the reel 1) to pass around it when the spring is pressed downward in the proper position.

1) is a handle for rotating the reel 1) and tightening the ribbon. By means of the spring and button arranged as above described the reel 19 is kept in place, but may be easily removed by pressing the button 3 until it is in line with the central cavity through the reel 17.

The operation of my tim e-recorder is as follows: The workman inserts a check through the mouth I) of the check-chute l3 and it immediately passes down through the check chute beyond his control. It depresses the lever C until, with its downward-curving motion, the latter is entirely withdrawn from the check-chute, allowing the check to drop still farther down the checkchute. By this downward movement of the lever 0 arms L and E, and through them rods 6 and L, are moved in the direction of the arrows. This motion of L, through lever Z, arms Z, rod 1', and projection M, causes the pawl m to partially rotate the ratchet-wheel m and thus to feed forward the paper ribbon N upon the ribbon-reelm", and also through the ratchetwheel 0 and the gearing connecting it with ratchet-wheel m to slightly feed forward the inking-ribbon P upon the reel 0. Rod L, through lever Z, forces the rod S to the left, and the end of the enlarged head S projects below the mouth of the check-chute B, thus making a stop for the check U. The check is retained in this position until after the printing blowis given. The downward movement of lever U throws rod 6 to the left, as indicated by the arrow, and thus forces lever F and arm G to the left and to the position shown in Fig. 3, the pin h rising upon the upwardly-curved surface g, thus slowly raising the toggle-arm II and the toggle-joint II II. This brings these parts into the position shown in Fig. 3. The lever O on escaping from the check U is immediatelyraised upward by means of the weight D, and as it rises the arms E and L and their connecting rods, arms, and levers return to their normal positions. This movement raises the finger f on the lever F, and in its upward movement it strikes on the lower portionof the piece 71 and raises it and the toggle-joint until its circular motion around the center f causes it to escape from beneath the piece h, when the togglej oint immediately falls to its normal position. Just before the finger f escapes from beneath the piece h the togglejoint has been straightened out and the platen t'has been pressed with great force against the inking-ribbon, paper strip, and check, and has thus caused the numeral upon the check and the figures 011 the time-wheels to be printed upon the paper strip.

B y my improved device both the downward and upward movements of the lever O and the accompanying movements of its connecting parts are all used to effect the printing. The construction of the various parts, and especially that of the toggle-joint, enables the weight of an ordinary check to perform the entire work without any assistance from the workman or that of stored-up power in any form. Moreover, the use of inclined surfaces or planes in the lever F, arm G, with its toe g, having a curved upper surface, permits a slow and gradual rising of the toggle-joint in the first part of the movement, while the operation of the finger f in conjunction with the piece 7t, makes the rise of the toggle-joint much more rapid in the latter part of the printing step. This enables a check to operate the parts and at the same time give a sharp enough blow at the moment when the printing is done. The weightsD and Rserve also to steady the action of the various parts.

IVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a recorder the combination with means for receiving the impression, of a check-chute, a movable arm projecting into the checkchute and adapted to be depressed by the check in its passage through the chute, a platen and connecting mechanism between the movable arm and the platen adapted to be actuated by the weight of the check alone,

as the check falls through the check-chute, and thereby to force the platen against the impression devices, substantially as set forth.

2. In a recorder the combination with means for receiving the impression, of a check-chute, a movable arm projecting into the checkchute and adapted to be depressed by the check in-its passage through the chute, a platen, a toggle-j oint for operating the platen, mechanism connecting the movable arm and the toggle-joint to close the toggle-joint to .force the platen against the impression devices, substantially as set forth.

3. In a recorder the combination with means for receiving the impression, of a check-chute, a movable arm projecting into the checkchute and adapted to be depressed by the check in its passage through the chute, a platen, a toggle-j oint for operating the platen, an inclined movable surface bearing upon the toggle-joint adapted to close the toggle-joint and mechanism connecting said surface with the movable arm, adapted to be actuated by the weight of the check alone as the check falls through the check-chute, and thereby to close the toggle joint to force the platen against the impression devices, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a recorder the combination with means for receiving the impression, of a check-chute, a movable lever projecting into the checkchute and adapted to be depressed by the check in its passage through the chute, a weight upon the other end of the lever, a platen, a toggle-joint for operating the platen, an oscillating arm with an inclined surface, a fixed pin upon the toggle-joint bearing upon said inclined surface and adapted to be raised as the arm swings in one direction, a lever having a pin adapted to press upon said arm and to cause it to partially rotate, a pendent movable piece connected with the toggle-joint and a finger upon said last-mentioned lever adapted, when moving in one direction, to engage with and raise said movable piece to close the toggle-joint, and a rod connecting said lever with the lever projecting into the IIO check-chute, all so arranged that the weight of the check in its passage through the checkchute actuates the mechanism to close the toggle-joint to force the platen to print the impression, substantially as set forth.

5. In a recorder a paper-reel and an inkingribbon reel, a ratchet-wheel connecting with said reels and adapted to revolve them, a rod loosely supported vin bearings of the frame work and having a pawl adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, a lever projecting into the check-chute and adapted to be depressed by the check in its passage through the check-chute, and rod and lever connections between said lever and said firstmentioned rod whereby the passage of the check through the check-chute will cause the paper strip and inking-ribbon to feed forward, substantially as set forth.

6. In a recorder a paper-reel and an inking ribbon reel, a ratchet-wheel connecting with said reels and adapted to revolve them, a rod loosely supported in bearings of the framework and having a pawl adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, a lever projecting into the check-chute and adapted to be depressed by the check in its passage through the check-chute, and rod and lever connections between said lever and said firstmentioned rod, and a counterbalance-weight, all so arranged that the passage of the check through the check-chute will cause the paper strip and inking-ribbon to feed forward, substantially as set forth.

7. In a recorder the combination with a check-chute, of a lever projecting into the check-chute and adapted to be depressed by the check, a rod S having an enlarged head S moving horizontally in bearings s, and rod and lever connections between said rod S and the check-chute lever, whereby when the latter is depressed the enlarged head S of the rod S will be thrown across the bottom of the check-chute to hold the check on the printingline, and when the check-chute lever rises said enlarged head S will be retracted to permit the check to fall from the check-chute, substantially as set forth.

8. In a recorder the combination with means for receiving the impression, of a check-chute, a movable lever projecting into the checkchute and adapted to be depressed by the check in its passage through the chute, a weight upon the other end of the lever, a platen, atoggle'joint for operating the platen, an oscillating arm with an inclined surface, a fixed pin upon the toggle-joint bearing upon said inclined surface and adapted to be raised as the arm swings in one direction, a lever having a pin adapted to press upon said arm and to cause it to partially rotate, a pendent movable piece connected with the toggle-joint and a finger upon said last-mentioned lever adapted, when moving in one direction, to engage with and raise said movable piece to close the togglejoint, and a rod connecting said lever with the lever projecting into the checkchute, rod S having an enlarged head S working in bearings s and adapted to move horizontally across the bottom of the check-chute and to be withdrawn therefrom, rod and lever connections, including counterbalanced weight R, between rod S and check-chute lever, all so arranged that the weight of the check in its passage through the check-chute forces enlarged head S across the bottom of the check-chute to hold the check on the printing-line, and actuates mechanism to close the toggle-joint and force the platen to print the impression, substantially as set forth.

9. In a recorder the combination with means for receiving the impression, of a check-chute, a movable lever projecting into the checkchute and adapted to be depressed by the check in its passage through the chute, a weight upon the other end of the lever, a platen, a toggle-joint for operating the platen, an oscillating arm with an inclined surface, a fixed pin upon the toggle-joint bearing upon said inclined surface and adapted to be raised as the arm swings in one direction, a lever having a pin adapted to press upon said arm and to cause it to partially rotate, a pendent movable piece connected with the toggle-joint and a finger upon said last-mentioned lever adapted, when moving in one direction, to engage with and raise said movable piece to close the toggle-joint, and a rod connecting said lever with the lever projecting into the check-chute, a paper-reel and an inking-ribbon reel, a ratchet-wheel connecting with said reels and adapted to revolve them, a rod loosely supported in bearings of the framework and having a pawl adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, rod and lever connections between the check-chute lever and said last-mentioned rod, rod S having enlarged head S adapted to close the bottom of the check-chute, and rod and lever connections including counterbalanced weight R between rod S and the check-chute lever, all so arranged that the weight of the check in its passage through the check-chute actuates the mechanism to hold the check upon the printing-line, to close the toggle-joint and force the platen to print the impression, and to feed forward the paper strip and inking-ribbon, substantially as set forth.

10. In a recorder the combination with the check'chute of a cut-off, loosely pivoted at its upper end, and having a toe adapted to enter and lie across the check-chute and in this po sition to retard the passage of checks, and a lever projecting into the check-chute adapted to normallypress against said toe and hold it out of the check-chute, substantially as set forth.

11. In a workmans time-recorder the combination with the hour-wheel and its ratchetwheel, of the lever Y having pins 3 and shoulder 3 lever V having arm 1 adapted to enname to this specification in the presence of gage with cam Z, an arm WV having tooth w two subscribing witnesses. adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet-Wheel of the hour-Wheel, and curved 5 arm w adapted to engage with shoulder y, WVitnesses:

substantially as described. ALAN D. KENYON,

In testimony whereof I have signed my EDWIN SEGER.

CHARLES KAYSER. 

